Beijing Officials To Punish Hospitals, Clinics That Turn Away HIV/AIDS Patients, Set Up Hotlines

Beijing's Municipal Health Bureau said it plans to punish hospitals and health clinics that deny treatment to people living with HIV/AIDS and has set up telephone hotlines for HIV-positive people to report such facilities, Xinhuanet reports (Xinhuanet, 3/9). Regulations that outlaw discrimination against HIV-positive people in China and guarantee such people the right to health care went into effect earlier this month (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 2/13). According to Xinhuanet, Beijing on Wednesday opened hotlines operated by local- and county-level health offices for HIV/AIDS patients to call and submit complaints against clinics denying treatment. The city plans to have five hotlines, two of which together will provide access to the health inspections division 24 hours a day, Xinhuanet reports. Some experts say the city's efforts will help to ensure that people living with HIV/AIDS receive treatment. According to Jin Dapeng, director of the health bureau, the number of HIV/AIDS patients in the city last year was 2,829 (Xinhuanet, 3/9).